Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable printer.
Description of the Related Art
As a method for printing a film at a spot without bringing a smartphone, etc., which takes an image or sends data, back to a home or a store, for example, there is a portable telephone as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-45342. The smartphone itself may include an instant camera function. However, this method cannot be used in a smartphone in which the instant camera function is not available for a user.
On the other hand, there is a printing method for an electronic camera. As described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-167161, it is well-known that there is a printing device with the electronic camera being plugged to a socket in a state in which an image is displayed on a display of the electronic camera, and the image displayed on the display is projected to a film through an internal optical system, so that the film is exposed and printed.
Further, there is a printing method for a portable telephone. As described in Japanese Patent No. 4140047 (see, specifically, FIG. 27 described below), it is well-known that there is a portable printer with the portable telephone being plugged to a socket in a state in which an image is displayed on a display of the portable telephone, and in the same manner described above, the image displayed on the display is projected to a film through an internal optical system, so that the film is exposed and printed.
If these technologies are applied to a smartphone, it may be possible to print an instant image, which is displayed on a display of the smartphone and is viewed by a user, on a film at a spot.
However, in the portable printers, etc. described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-167161 and Japanese Patent No. 4140047, there is a case in which a film is exposed in the inner part, so that in order not to enter external light, the devices are covered by a wall surface or a bellows which prevents the light from entering. In order not to enter the external light inside the devices, the smartphone, which is plugged to a socket, is pressed onto the wall surface, and the smartphone, which is inserted to the slot, is sealed.
Therefore, in the state in which the smartphone is inserted into the socket of the portable printer, etc. and the display is in contact with the wall surface, or in the state in which the smartphone is inserted to the slot, the user cannot confirm whether the image is appropriately displayed on the display of the smartphone (that is, whether the image, which is expected to be printed, is displayed, whether a position or vertical or horizontal directions of the image are appropriate, or on the contrary, whether the image is displayed, etc.).
Therefore, even though an image is not appropriately displayed on the display, the image is printed. After that, the user realizes the error, so that the user feels inconvenience and the printed film is wasted.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. For example, certain features of the preferred described embodiments of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages and/or providing certain advantages, such as, e.g., disadvantages and/or advantages discussed herein, while retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.